Voters now can register online

System in place, but only for Texans who renew driver’s licenses

For the first time in Texas history, the state has a method, albeit limited, for voters to register online.

The state was forced to set up the online voter registration system by a U.S. district judge in San Antonio who ruled last month that Texas officials were violating the National Voter Registration Act by denying residents a chance to register to vote anytime they apply for, renew or update their driver’s licenses. The deadline for the state to set up the online registration portal was Wednesday.

While the online voter registration is available only to that particular population, the fact it was created at all is a significant shift for the state, which until now had required Texans making license changes online to print and mail a form to their county registrar.

Texas is one of just nine states that do not offer widespread online voter registration, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The change particularly affects young and low-income voters who move more frequently, according to Mimi Marziani, president of the Texas Civil Rights Project, which represented the plaintiffs.

“We know that close to 2 million

Democrats, who have begun to benefit more from the practice in recent years. Straight ticket voting is more popular in larger, urban counties where dozens of races often appear on primary and general election ballots. In Harris County,

about 55 percent of straightticket voters chose Democrats and 44 percent chose Republicans.

An amendment to the 2017 legislation caused a delay in its implementation until the 2020 general election.

Harris County officials and other election leaders across the state have warned that voters could take 15 minutes or more to complete

the ballots in November, potentially setting the stage for long lines at the polls. Marmolejo said the added time at polling locations increases the risk of COVID-19 spread.

Some county elections officials have issued warnings that Marmolejo’s ruling came too late in the planning process. Marmolejo found that only in-person ballots

must have a straight-ticket voting option.

It is not immediately clear how quickly the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals will act or when Marmolejo might rule on the motion to stay.

The suit seeking to reinstate straight ticket voting was brought by the Texas Alliance for Retired Americans, the national senatorial

and congressional committees of the Democratic Party, and Sylvia Bruni, chair of the Webb County Democratic Party.

Early voting can begin across the state on Oct. 13. Election Day is Nov. 3.

Taylor Goldenstein contributed to

this report.